Iran denies involvement in plot to assassinate Trump

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly denied allegations that Tehran was involved in a plot to assassinate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

In reaction to allegations of Iran's involvement in assassination attempts against US officials, ministry spokesman Baghaei labeled such claims as unfounded, News.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

He referred to similar accusations made in the past, which Iran has categorically rejected and proven to be false, describing the current repetition of this claim as a disturbing conspiracy orchestrated by Israel and anti-Iranian groups, aimed at further complicating relations between the US and Iran.

Moreover, Baghaei emphasized that, as previously stated, Iran will utilize all legitimate and legal means, both domestically and internationally, to uphold the rights of the Iranian people.

The US Department of Justice made the allegations on November 8, stating that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was involved in preparing an assassination attempt on Trump. The Justice Department filed charges against Iranian citizen Farhad Shakeri, accusing him of leading a network of individuals tasked with targeting people deemed undesirable by the Iranian government, including US officials and dissidents critical of Tehran.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the charges highlighted Iran’s persistent efforts to target US citizens, including President-elect Trump, along with other government officials and critics of the regime. He accused the IRGC of "colluding with criminals" to carry out these attacks on US soil.

According to the Justice Department, Shakeri, along with his alleged accomplices, Carlyle Rivera and Jonathan Lowdholt, were involved in a plot to eliminate an Iranian-born US citizen who had publicly criticized the Iranian government. Rivera was arrested in Brooklyn, New York, and Lowdholt was arrested in Staten Island, New York. Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be in Iran. Rivera and Lowdholt made their initial court appearances in the Southern District of New York and were remanded into custody pending trial.

News.Az